Help choosing 3G Wireless Router with 3G USB Modem Interoperability

13 posts / 0 new
Last post
will2
will2's picture
Help choosing 3G Wireless Router with 3G USB Modem Interoperability

I want a compact 3G Wireless-n Router to fullfill the same  job that DSL Routers did with DSL modems on fixed telephone lines:  i.e. share the internet connection between more than one Laptop/WiFi device

Grateful if anyone can help directly, or if outside scope of this forum, point me to some sites more likely to address the issues.

Last time I installed a DSL router, the browser accessed 'Management Console' had a comprehensive 'ISP Setup' page, allowing users to Set ALL necessary variables that are a
function of the ISP,  PPPoE, DNSs, User Name, Password etc. I got the impression such a Router could be taken to ANY Country/ISP, and was GUARANTEED TO WORK because the ISP setup page had sufficient variables for all countries/ISPs

3G Routers appear less well defined, and unlike DSL Routers, all appear to require ongoing support from manufacturers using 'firmware Updates' to support changing ISP/3G Modem standards, making the customer highly dependant on the manufacturer to keep supporting products with ISP/3G Modem updates. - not very satisfactory from customers point of view.    Is this true, and why ?

I realize most, if not all 3G USB Modems, are rebadged by the 'Carriers', are 'locked' to them to hinder you switching 'carriers', and are pre-programmed with their 'Connection Manager' which on 1st use, is auto-installed into the client PC.   But I don't see why that should prevent 3G modems from working interoperably with 3G Routers.

All 3G Router specs I have seen, seem to have a LIST of 3G Network/modem models, their product will work with, implying unless your ISP/Modem combination is on the LIST - it will not work.  Emailed Netgear on this.  Got no explanation, simply replied unless your combination on their LIST, DEFINITELEY WON'T WORK.  Another maker said over the phone, it is ONLY MODEM COMPATIBILITY that matters, not the ISP.  

So grateful for clarification if it is truly just the 3G Modem that needs to be checked for interoperability with a 3G Router, or the ISP/Modem combination, and if someone can list the parameter values I need to acquire from the ISP, and also the Modem, to allow the 3G Router maker to assess interoperability, or update their firmware to make so.

I gather the ISP's are reluctant to publish that information because it makes it too easy for customers to choose their own Router and how many pc's or other devices they hang off the Wifi connection.

Does anyone know of a utility (pref. freeware) that can read the necessary parameter values from a 3G USB Modem ?
I notice at least one ISP seems to rely on a PIN to authenticate the user, not 'User name' or 'Password.

Only on seeing this site today did I hear of 'open  firmware' for Routers, so hopefully this should address the problem of 'closed and locked hardware' problem described above.

I travel frequently internationally, so not viable to enter into the typical 12 or 18 month ISP 'lockin' contracts.  The owner of where I stay usually has a ISP contract so I can share the connection - easy enough with DSL as mentioned above. Reason I want a Wireless-n Router is convenience of not running wires, and HD video streaming to the TV (802.11g too slow)

The ISPs I connect to are always 3G HSDPA/UMTS.     Thanks for any enlightenment on the issues.

stratix
stratix's picture
Looking for the same support

Looking for the same support as well.
I have a DIR-855 from D-Link today which will be returned as soon as I can get my hands on another router which supports draft N, gigabit Ethernet AND 3G modem support on the USB port.
It works with the DIR-855 but it is extremely unstable. You have to restart it every now and then. You never know if the 3G modem is going up when you reboot the device and you usually have to try again and again until it works. WNR3500L is going to be released Nov 5th here in Sweden (at least from one supplier) and it would be were nice if some distributions have support for USB 3G modems/phones.

will2
will2's picture
stratix said:

stratix said:
Looking for the same support as well.
I have a DIR-855 from D-Link today which will be returned as soon as I can get my hands on another router which supports draft N, gigabit Ethernet AND 3G modem support on the USB port.
It works with the DIR-855 but it is extremely unstable. You have to restart it every now and then. You never know if the 3G modem is going up when you reboot the device and you usually have to try again and again until it works. WNR3500L is going to be released Nov 5th here in Sweden (at least from one supplier) and it would be were nice if some distributions have support for USB 3G modems/phones.

'N' is no longer 'draft' - although in use for must be 5 years, it was at last Approved by the IEEE on Sept 11th (see Wi-fi Alliance), so hopefully should now see a lot less marketing of old slow abg legacy products.  I hope manufacturers of '3G Wireless-n Routers' make more effort to guarantee their interoperability with the huge and increasing variety of 3G-HSDPA USB Modems around the world, as '3G' Routers may have a short life if they are not then made compatible with the, already trialling, much faster 'LTE' replacement to 3G Networks in a year or two's time.

will2
will2's picture
Imagino said:

Imagino said:
For the moment Fon's Fonera 2.0N seams to be the best 3G-Router. Works with most Huawei dongles and some others.
http://wiki.fon.com/wiki/I3G_compatibility

Thanks for the tip.  I spent some time reading through a lot of fon.com webpages witch were mostly about their WiFi 'community' ,and your wiki, I could not find the normal full specification I would expect to see for a '3G Wireless-N Router'.  I travel lightly, and need to know the Dimensions and Weight of it, also their 3G USB Modem Compatibility list, preferably also a User Manual.
The only 'Contac us' I could find, obliged one to 'join', become a 'member' and seemed to assume you were a 'Fonero' before you could submit.   Do you know of a simple email for requesting full product specs ?     Thanks

Peter007
Peter007's picture
I am returning my unit after

I am returning my unit after a couple days trying to make it work with several 3G modems.
No support for most of Movistar Spain 3g modems like ZTE MF626 and Ovation MC950D.
DO NOT BUY IT, unless you are proficient with Linus and looking forward to compile your own version of the firmware to make your 3G dongle work.

Peter007
Peter007's picture
I AM GOING TO RETURN MY UNIT

I AM GOING TO RETURN MY UNIT AFTER 2 DAYS OF TESTING.
IT DOES NOT SUPPORT ANY OF THE MOVISTAR SPAIN 3G DONGLES, LIKE ZTE MF626 OR OVATION MC950D. For ZTE see the ticket http://trac.fonosfera.org/fon-ng/ticket/460
THE ISSUE IS THAT THOSE 3G UNITS HAVE A CD MODE, THAT THE FIRMWARE IS UNABLE TO OVERRIDE.
THE SUPPORT DEPENDS ON THE BEST EFFORT OF THE USER COMMUNITY, SO IT IS UNPREDICTABLE.
UNLESS YOU ARE ABLE TO VERIFY THAT YOUR 3G UNIT WORKS TODAY WITH THE FON2.0N DO NOT BUY THIS UNIT. HOPE IT HELPS!

SMG
SMG's picture
Novatel Ovation MC950D :

Novatel Ovation MC950D :

http://quilombo.wordpress.com/2008/01/21/modem-usb-35g-novatel-ovation-m...

Can someone try this out and let us know if it works with Fon2?

PB

mel77
mel77's picture
I need a 3g wireless router

I need a 3g wireless router that has the capacity to increase signal strength by providing an SMA type port for an external 3g Antenna. Also need pricing. The device should work very similar to the DLink DIR415 which has a USB port but instead of the USB port have an internal SIM and the capacity to connect an external antenna for the backhaul as well as a removeable antenna (also SMA) for the wireless.

mel77
mel77's picture
I need a 3g wireless router

I need a 3g wireless router that has the capacity to increase signal strength by providing an SMA type port for an external 3g Antenna. Also need pricing. The device should work very similar to the DLink DIR415 which has a USB port but instead of the USB port have an internal SIM and the capacity to connect an external antenna for the backhaul as well as a removeable antenna (also SMA) for the wireless.

mel77
mel77's picture
I need a 3g wireless router

I need a 3g wireless router that has the capacity to increase signal strength by providing an SMA type port for an external 3g Antenna. Also need pricing. The device should work very similar to the DLink DIR415 which has a USB port but instead of the USB port have an internal SIM and the capacity to connect an external antenna for the backhaul as well as a removeable antenna (also SMA) for the wireless.

will2
will2's picture
Thanks for all the input.

Thanks for all the input.  Having asked on various blogs/router manufacturers site and got no clear definitive answer, 3 months ago I ended up buying a Aztech 3G Wireless-N Router, model 'HW550-3G', which has at least 2 external antenna full 300Mbps 'n', also has 4 LAN ports 100Mbps. Although not on its list of tested 3G USB Modems, fortunately it works ok with the Onda MSA405HS HSPA USB Modem I use in Brazil.  
I am still looking for a utility to read parameters/data from the USB modem.  Even though the modem is proven to work with this Router, still be useful to record all relevant ISP parameters from the SIM Card & modem in case of probs later.  Also, as the local ISP frequently has 'downtimes' and/or poor signal, it would be useful to be able to monitor and log the signal strength, preferably in dBm, as the Aztech has an even less informative/useful display than the customary 5 bar graph shown by the client 'Connection Managers' normally autoinstalled by the modems into the PC.  Saw an interesting article on measuring 3G signal strength, in anandtech.com iPhone4 Review on 30 June, where it shows the 3G network does send all sorts of useful data on the ISP and signal - that COULD BE SHOWN on the client screen - all thats needed is a suitable App to do it !!!  

On the iPhone pre-4 it was called 'Field Test'.  I remember modems (56K dial-up days) had a semi-standard means of communication using 'ATI Commands'.  Windows supports modem ATI Commands in 'Hyper Terminal'. ATI Commands are low-level, and don't seem to hear much about them last few years.  Whats needed is an App similar to the 'Field Test' in the iPhone, that gives a friendly display of any useful info, like Signal Strength in dBm, Tx Freq, distance/position of Cell Tower.   Ideally the App should be able to work through the Router, and provide logs of user-selected data, or failing that, it should work with modem connected directly to a USB port on the PC, bearing in mind, that normally results in the pc 'Connection Manager' driving the modem.

Grateful for any help/leads to finding useful websites and/or Apps covering this.

jason1972
jason1972's picture
look at the MOFI3500-3GN

look at the MOFI3500-3GN
it support all those 3G drivers

I do not know of any utility that you can plug and play with a 3G modem?

The MOFI3500-3GN is a full N 300MB/s router

Most places sell for $99.99

What I always suggest is to get a 3G modem with an antenna input and get an antenna to put on the stick along with a 3G router like the MOFI3500-3GN and this is the best solution to get peek speeds.

will2
will2's picture
@Jason1972 - Thanks Jason for

@Jason1972 - Thanks Jason for the tip about the new 'MOFI3500-3GN'. I see it looks identical, physically, and UI, to the Aztech HW550-3G (which my last post said I bought last May) and had an interesting review on 14 July 2009 in hardwarezone.com.sg giving brief info on Chipset, CPU, Memory etc. So it is at least 1 year old, so the MiFI is just a rebadge. I followed the link you gave and perused associated sites from which I see there maybe some variation in the underlying firmware, also alively and v. useful forum discussing the issues with it - not so far seen such useful feedback on the 'Aztech' model. I see the Canadian company claims it is a 'new' design, and makes no reference to Aztech in Singapore, who I assume are the actual manufacturers. (often difficult to tell, as some kit is rebadged many times)

Although I have found my Aztec HW550-3G version reliable most of the now 4 months 24/7 use, the last month, I experienced an annoying fault where (used as a Router to distribute shared 3G HSPA internet access) the WiFi connection is OK, but clients (without WiFi) connected via RJ45 cable 'lose' their connection. Invoking Win7 Network/Internet Diagnostics repeatedly says problem is "No DNS Server" (DHCP is Enabled in the Router of course).

This failure can persist over a day, and only seems to be cured by repeated on/off of the power made more inconvenient by lack of on/off switch on the router.

Have you or others experienced this ?

The only other problem, as mentioned in my last post, is the lack of any access to the 3G-Modem Rx Signal Level. The Router UI occupies much screen space, and gives only a crude indication of 3G Signal like 'Good'.
What I want is a small App that can show the Rx Signal in dB, and perhpas a few other relevant HSPA connection parameters in a tiny discrete window, or as an icon in the System Tray, like the useful Apps that can just show your HDD Temperature without cluttering the screen.

The firmware date for my model is Sep 18, 2009

Many thanks for your useful tip about the 'MOFI' version of my Aztech HW550-3G.